The Scottish Vikings of Berk are back. How to Train Your Dragon 2 blows out the scope of the first film to new lands and several new species of dragons. The mature nature of the sequel removes the charm and sincerity of the original in favor of breathless special effects and tonal complexity; the transition is sloppy, but necessary for How To Train Your Dragon 2 to maintain a high level of quality set by the first film.
We time jump forward from the end of How To Train Your Dragon some point a few years later. Berk has successfully integrated dragons into their town and are even used for games. Hiccup (voice of Jay Baruchel), despite the push toward being the chief by dad Stoick (Gerard Butler), chooses to explore new lands with trusty dragon Toothless. During his personal journey, Hiccup learns of a madman named Drago (Djimon Hounsou) who is enslaving all the dragons to take over the world. Before he gets a chance to confront Drago, Hiccup encounters a mysterious dragon rider (Cate Blanchett) who reveals new worlds to Hiccup, within and without. Armed with this new information, Hiccup takes Drago head on with the help of his family and friends, including girlfriend Astrid (America Ferrera).
Little children (under 8) will be scared by the events of How To Train Your Dragon 2. The tonal shift is a darker one, so amidst the funny dragon moment there are moments of terror and sadness. The transition causes very dark moments to be offset by something cute or silly. Normally this is fine, but at times it lessens the impact of BIG moments for our heroes. The big moments though are more complex than the first film; themes like betrayal, family bonds, and becoming a leader drive How To Train Your Dragon 2 forward. The themes pivot around Hiccup and Toothless’s bond, which helps How To Train Your Dragon 2 retain the heart of its predecessor.
Helping kids through a mature story like this is a CGI extravaganza. Dragons infuse every scene we see, usually being colorful or funny to distract them from some of the heavy-handedness. The animals are the right mix of dog and cat while retaining their dragonness (with the exception of the Godzilla like versions). Animal-human interaction is very easy to understand as long as the kid has a pet. The flying scenes are from a first person (or just near it) vantage point, exhilarating the senses visually. The lands themselves are beautiful explosions of green Crayolas infused with a little rainbow, and the battles are requisitely vast and exciting. If the story goes over a child’s head, they’ll still enjoy what they watched.
Jay Baruchel’s voice is great for Hiccup’s leader ascension. The built in awkward nasal tone of his voice automatically suggests the transition will be difficult, and Baruchel sticks the landing when Hiccup has to be regal. After setting up the booming voice, Gerard Butler successfully gives Stoick more quiet introspective moments here. Hiccup looks older, but Stoick is clearly the most evolved thanks to Butler’s work. America Ferrera gets a side adventure and makes the most of it, but there isn’t really much for her to do here (thankfully they didn’t try to break her up with Hiccup). Kristen Wiig, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, and TJ Miller are relegated to comedic punchlines, with Wiig getting the funniest material with multiple suitors. Of the newcomers, Cate Blanchett is sweet, wise and the right amount of “off” as the dragon rider. She actually carries more emotional weight than meets the eye. Kit Harrington and Djimon Hounsou are wasted and one-note.
Unfortunately, there is no WOW moment in How To Train Your Dragon 2 like Hiccup’s first petting of Toothless. However, their bond is strong and enjoyment well is deep for the sequel, which has more flying and dragons than your eyes can handle with a little growing up thrown in. I hope we don’t have to wait four more years for another one of these films, since director Dean DeBlois proves he knows how to write a sequel. However, Hiccup and Toothless put such a smile on my face that I’m more than sure the wait would be worth it.